Bloggie Time!

I have been trying to embrace new technology these days, particularly since I am now working at a company that sells lots of new-fangled gadgets. As such I have been looking at getting a hand-held video camera and so got to loan a Sony Bloggie for the weekend. Naturally, I chose the pink one ;)

I’m hoping that by having a little video camera on hand at all times I will film more stuff and document my life in a zany kind of way. See, I used to be a film student who specialised in editing, and over the years I’ve not had any opportunity to use my talents. To see how I feel about the whole thing (remember, I am painfully shy) I am going to film my busy weekend and make a short video to test the Bloggie out as well as see if I can inspire myself to keep the filming stuff up!

I am off to Screamworld right now followed by lots of other fun stuff so stay tuned for my adventures in video form!

Brisbane Zombie Walk update

Time for an update on the Brisbane Zombie Walk! As expected it’s totally taking over my life as we really get into the swing of  things and everything’s going well so far. Thank god! The above poster was the first the mock up I did which I actually really, really love so will now be the actual poster. I haven’t lost my touch when it comes to design after all, it seems. The photo is from the walk in 2008 (the first one I organised) and was taken by my friend Terry (check out his site Soul Bridge Media, he’s such an awesome photographer!).

The biggest news though, is that we’ve finally launched the new website which allows people to register (which will help us gauge how many participants to anticipate this year) as well as make donations! This is a pretty big deal because it allows people to be a bit more interactive with us and the site and we’re gaining valuable information by knowing how many people use the site on top of getting a good idea of the expected turnout this year. Plus we’re already getting heaps of donations which means we’ll be able to cover the costs of the walk without resorting to dipping into our own pockets so much. It’s also means we can donate more of the money we raise to the Brain Foundation! Win win!

Check out the new website!

Right now I am trying to come up with a design for the Official t-shirts which is proving a bit tougher than the poster as I need to use minimal colours and make sure it appeals to everyone. I’ll post my designs and idea as they come along. Then there’s the fundraiser gig Rott n Roll. I’m currently getting people to help me find local bands willing to play for free but will also draw a crowd. Oh and the after party – lots of work there too. We’re goin to have to start recruiting volunteers soon!

Anyway, as the walk looms ever closer I’m going to get busier and busier so please don’t think I am neglecting my blog out of laziness! Hopefully as everything slots into place I will have more time to post more substantial updates!

My Pet Hates – Part Two

I just realised I have not had a good rant on my blog for a while now. I am not feeling particularly ragey tonight but there are a few things on my mind that I thought I should make public.

1. People who misuse the word emo. For the record, that’s most people. It drives me nuts that people use it as an insult against anyone remotely alternative when they seem to be feeling an emotion other than happiness. I get called an emo a fair bit but I don’t get too mad at people because I understand I do have the main traits of the typical emo. But then I see people calling friends who are so far removed from the emo subculture getting told to “stop being so emo” when they’re sad or angry about something. In this example I’m talking about a friend who is indie. I don’t expect everyone to know the difference between all subcultures (because god knows I don’t and I’m pretty cluey about that sort o thing) but you do sound like a total knob when you call someone an emo who very clearly isn’t. It’s not 2003 any more, it’s not a new term that you can sound clever by using, so get it right or shut up!

OK so this isn’t the best example of emo’s vs indie kids but it’ll do to prove my point. If Bill Kaulitz on the let there is acting sad, then you reserve the right to call him an emo (also a girl, but that’s for another rant). The people on the right, while a bit douchey and also prone to sulking are clearly indie kids (aka hipsters) and so calling them “emo” is inappropriate. It’s like how anyone who wore black back in the day got called a goth when nine times out of ten they were anything but goth. God I hated those times.

2. Facebook fanatics. It shits me that people rely so heavily on Facebook for all of their information. I had some jerk getting all snippy about not getting a reply to his Facebook comment when the information he sought could have been found very easily elsewhere. People need to chill the fuck out about Facebook, it’s not the be-all-end-all  and is certainly not a very good resource or getting news and information. There’s this other  site called Google, learn how to use it!

3. Pedestrians. I don’t know if they’re getting worse lately or I’ve just been missing out on all of their stupidity for so long. Or maybe I have just become more aware o the stupid things pedestrians do that almost gets them killed so often. The other day my friend and I were driving in the City and we almost hit some young Asian dude in a suit who was walking on the road next to his mates on a blind corner. We beeped him but he just shot us this look of disdain like we were the ones doing something wrong. Fuck man, we’re in a car and you’re a sack of meat with nothing to protect you but that fancy suit you’re wearing. Guess who’d win this battle? I see people running in front of cars on Friday and Saturday nights down on the street where I live all the time. It shocks me that I haven’t seen someone get killed because there’s no looking, there’s just a mad dash across the road and the hope that you’ll beat the car who’s coming right for you. These kinds of people are the ones who deserve to get run over but never do.

4. The cost of movie tickets. I go to the movies a lot and I’m constantly shocked and appalled at how much it costs to go see a movie these days. I went and saw Toy Story 3 last night it cost $20! Admittedly it was a last minute thing and I had to pay an extra $1 for 3D glasses but hell! There are some cinemas that charge a lot less but you usually have to get your tickets hours in advance and then line up or an hour to get a good seat. It’s no wonder so many people download movies these days! On the plus side though, Toy Story 3 was pretty fucking good.

Aaaand that’s me done bitching for now! Stay tuned for some proper posts real soon!

Nailin’ It x2

I haven’t done a Nailin’ It in ages! I’ve actually got two to show you as I never got around to blogging about the manicure I had a month ago due to various reasons (ie. my being slack). There was another one in there as well but due to the fact two nails broke within a few days of them being done I decided not to take photos (you can check them out on my robo.to though, if you really want). Shame because they were so long and I got this amazing purple/glitter paint job done. I’ve now leaned there is such thing as too long when it comes to acrylics because the acrylic gets old and starts to get weak and breaks off for no apparent reason D:

I had my nails done in the cute pink colour or ages before I decided to try some of this gorgeous glitter I got off my mum. I used the same technique as I did when I last added glitter to my nails but learned very quickly that it needed a lot of top coat due to the glitter being so coarse. I totally ruined a pair of stockings because I’d only given my nails two top coats. It too another 3 before the sharp bits of glitter were covered up (and I still had to file a few bits down). It was more work than expected but the effect was pretty cool. They remind me of those toilet seats that have seashells and stuff in them, hahaha.

Now for my latest nails. Because of the breakages I got them much shorter than I’ve had in ages (technically since I started getting my nails properly, actually). As I’d just had dark purple for about three weeks, I decided to go for the brightest colour possible HOT PINK! I LOVE fluro colours and am not afraid to admit it. Fluro pink is obviously my favourite, it’s just so damn bright and obnoxious! I added these cute stickers which I got in Japan as they’re white and light pink which looked nice against the brightness of the pink. Unfortunately, since I redid the pink in my hair recently they’ve all started turning the same shade of pink so they’re not standing out so much now. Such a shame :(

You may notice the top of my pinkie looking all messed up. That was caused by a nail file. No pain no gain, baby! Though next time it happens I may have to kick some arse because that shit hurt for two days! This pic properly reflects the actual colours, the one below is all about the detail:

Once again for the length of time between posts. I just started a new job and as you can imagine it’s always exhausting getting trained up in a new position so I’ve just been too tired to commit to writing anything worthwhile. But I’ll get back on it this week, I promise!

Goodbye Old Friends!

Today is the end of an era. I just took out my snakebite piercings for the last time for my new job starting tomorrow. I considered keeping them by taking them out before work and then putting them back in when I got home but I have decided that it is time to get rid of them for good. I knew I got them after being in London for about a year but after some research I found the original Livejounal entry where I posted about them.

That there is me a day after they were pierced back on the 1st October 2005. Let me tell you, lip piercings HURT! It was absolute agony getting them pierced, which is probably why I kept them for so long. I found they healed pretty quickly and never really gave me any problems. Accidentally biting down on the backs hurts a fair bit but you quickly learn to avoid doing that too often! I had metal studs for ages before I discovered the ones with plastic backings where the diamante stud kind of clicks into the backs. They prevented any damage to my gums and almost never fell out. I found the balls on metal studs would always wind themselves undone and fall off which was always a huge pain in the arse. The only time I took my snakebites out was when one of them was giving me some grief, I’d give them a day to rest before putting them back in to make sure they didn’t start healing over.

It’s been almost five years since I got them pierced and it’s probably going to take me a while before I get used to the fact they’re gone. I’m worried they’ll leave nasty scars as most people I know who’ve taken out lip rings didn’t have the piercing all that long and still have small scars to show for them. But we’ll see how it goes!

Goodbye little snakebites! You’ve served me well and I was always proud of how you looked on me But time to grow up (albeit reluctantly) and move on to bigger and better things! And may I go back to being an excellent kisser once more!

Interview with Radaza

As you’re well aware by now, music is hugely important and very prominent in my life. And much of it is thanks to my most favourite person in the world, DJ and producer Radaza. He’s predominantly been a house DJ since 2006 but started producing breakbeat and drum & bass in 2009. He got signed to the prominent UK breakbeat label Subtek earlier this tear and his first EP “Enforcer” was released in June. I’ve been privy to listening to all of his tracks from conception, seeing as how we’re also housemates, and I can assure you he’s a damn hard worker and is a constant inspiration to me. As such I thought I’d ask him a few questions:

When did you know you wanted to dedicate your life to music?

Music has always played a major part in my life especially growing up in the Philippines for it is an integral part of their culture.  There really wasn’t a special moment where I suddenly decided I was going to dedicate my life to it. My life was already influenced and dictated by music so it was just a natural progression.

What inspires you to make music?

Music itself inspires me. To be able to create something from scratch and have people connect to it is a great feeling.  It’s also a great creative outlet.

When you’re a famous producer, will you still DJ? Why/Why not?

The two goes hand in hand so you will definitely still see me DJing for years to come. With all the digital downloading going on these days, producing doesn’t really pay the bills unless you have a ‘gem’ that skyrockets you to the mainstream. The music you make is a great way to be known and to share your sound with others. This in turn will create gigs, shows, tours and this is where artists nowadays make their money

What was the first tape/CD you ever bought?

First tape was Michael Jackson’s Thriller. I saved up my allowance for that and played it to the death. I played it so much that the cassette player would always chew it up but I always had my trusty pencil to untangle it.

First CD was Boyz II Men’s Cooley High Harmony and I played that to death as well. Now it’s all scratched up and skips a lot but I still have this CD at home.

What was the song that changed the way you thought about music?

Michael Jackson definitely changed the way I saw music. Music was always something you hear but with MJ , he made you see and feel music through his movements. He was a genius.

If you had never started making music, what career would you have chosen?

A Fisherman.

Three people who inspire you?

Michael Jordan, Batman and Wil E. Coyote (for his pro-activeness and no surrender attitude)

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

On an island fishing all day, with my trained monkey slaves fanning we with banana leaves and picking me coconuts and fruits for lunch.

If you had just one superpower, what would it be? Would you use it for good or would you be a super villain?

I would love to have wolverines healing powers. I’m clumsy and tend to hurt myself a lot so that would definitely come in handy.

Would I use it for good or evil. Well it’s really a fine line between hero and villain. Villains are just misunderstood heroes who feel that the ways things are now (government, healthcare, society etc etc) just isn’t working. They are actually very proactive in their beliefs and always have a scheme or plan to set things to what they believe is right.

Vampires or Zombies? Why?

It’s a tie. Vampires for their sexiness and Zombies for their goofiness.

What is your current obsession?

I don’t obsess about anything but I do love watching True Blood and Ghosthunters.

Someone gives you $2 million with no conditions. What do you spend it on?

Training monkeys to be my slaves.

You can download his new EP “Enforcer” from Beatport, Traxsource, Amazon, Play.com and of course iTunes.

You can also check out the rest of his tracks at Soundcloud.